Close-Range Thermography and Reflectance Spectroscopy Support In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization of Colletotrichum spp. Isolates from Mango Fruits

Colletotrichum causing anthracnose in mango is known for its variable virulence that may have an effect on disease development and efficacy of management strategies. In this study, we characterized Colletotrichum spp. isolated from mango fruits under in vitro and in vivo conditions using close-range thermography and reflectance spectroscopy. Twenty-six isolates were phylogenetically characterized to ascertain species using the internal transcribed spacer sequence. Virulence, spectral (in vivo and in vitro), and thermographic responses (in vivo) of these isolates were analyzed. Isolates were grouped into the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides species complex and classified into eight morphotypes. Mycelial growth, conidia production, sporulation abundance, and area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) varied largely among isolates. Disease symptoms were observed 4 days after inoculation (dai), and, for most morphotypes, changes in tissue temperature were registered at 11 dai, with the greatest decrease at 14 dai with pathogen sporulation. In vitro and in vivo morphotypes shared changes in the spectrum range, and main variations were found in the number of informative spectral bands. In vivo average gross reflectance was higher in disease-inoculated tissue than in healthy uninoculated tissue. Morphotype responses varied depending on AUDPC values and postinoculation time. Discriminant analysis of the spectral response using principal component analysis and partial least squares regression explained 94 to 96.3 and 98 to 99.9% of the variance from in vitro and in vivo tests, respectively. Spectral markers were obtained for four distinct morphotype groups. We found three (550 to 650, 650.1 to 790, and 1,300 to 1,400 nm) and two (520 to 830 and 1,100 to 1,450 nm) regions with highly (P < 0.05) discriminant spectral bands for diseased fruits and morphotype characterization.